BLACKBALL MINES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 323, 9 October 1908, Page 2

BLACKBALL MINES.

..—_—— DISPUTE WITH THE GOVERNMENT. (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Oreymouih, October 7.. Forty men have , been dismissed at. tho Blackball Mines (bins' work) on account of a dispute with' the. Government. ■ ■ . Creymouth, October 8. The Blackball Company is now negotiating with tho Government in regard to the taking of land on which the company's bins are to bo erected. The Government offered the company a twelve months' lease, but this was declined as insufficient. _ Tho land is freehold, and is not, so it is contended, immediately required for railway purposes. It was in consequence of the Government's notice of intention to take the land that the company dismissed all men employed at tho works, on which over £1000 had already been spent. On Wednesday afternoon'tho Hon. A. R. Guinness received a telegram from a prominent resident at. Blackball as follows:— "Have been asked to wire you re stoppage of 20 to 30 men by Blackball Company, at bins site, through Publio Works Department refusing to grant company any more than-twelve months' lease alter completion of bins and shunts." On receipt of this telegram Mr. Guinness immediately interviewed the Minister on tho subject, and he has received the following replyTho position is that tho land taken by a proclamation for tho railway leaves the company little room for their bins, so they have asked that certain laud bo gazetted to them. This the Railway Department do not agreo to, as it brings tho bins too close to tho railway. One of the directors is coming up to Wellington to interview the Genoral Managor to see if satisfactory arrangements oannot be made."